Stapling machine



QCL'ZZ, 1946. 5 s, HELLER 2,409,854

STAPLING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1942 2 Sheets Sheec 2 lNVENTOR mm s. mum

ATToRNEYs Patented Oct. 22, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAPLINGMACHINE Harold s. Heller, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application June 25,1942, Serial No. 448,359

7 Claims.

This invention relates to stapling machines, and more particularly tothe small portable type known as oilce staplers. Such devices not onlyshould be small, of light weight, inexpensive and yet sturdy and strong,but also should be free of unnecessarily complicated mechanism, requireminimum care and attention, and present an ornamental and pleasingappearance in so far as that is possible.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improvedstapler which is sturdy and strong though of relatively light weight;which is of simple construction including a minimum number of moving oroperating parts so arranged as not likely to get out of order inservice; which houses or encloses practically all of the smaller workingparts within other operating parts, thereby not only protecting themechanism from dirt, wear and tear, but also presenting a neat andpleasing more or less streamlined effect; and which stapler is arrangedto utilize or operate upon a standard staple gang readily obtainable inthe open market.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stapler of this kindwhich is capable of use in two or more diiferent ways, such as bypressing down on the staple driving lever while the stapler, with thework in it, rests upon a table or other support, or by squeezingtogether like jaws, the base and the staple driving lever, while thedevice is held in the hand and in that way applied to the work, or bymoving the base out of the way to enable the staple carrying beam andthe staple driving lever, together, to be applied directly to the work,where no staple clinching is required,

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the stapleguiding mechanism, and more particularly its core and shell members, notonly in such manner as to provide and permanently maintain the necessaryrelationship between said members, but also to enable them to beassembled with and within the staple carrying beam, for their protectionagainst dirt and wear.

Another object is to utilizeparts of the same pieces which form themagazine for other purposes, such as to provide pivot lugs or ears, or aplunger guide, or for the attachment of still other parts, such as thestaple feeder retainer.

Still another object is to provide an improved form of operating leverfor the driving plunger, enabling such lever to serve as a housing forother parts, thereby simplifying the construction, reducing its weightand cost, and improving its general appearance.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part willappear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which, for purposes of illustration and in no sense oflimitation, represent one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is an end elevationfrom the right in Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a similar view fromthe left in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation on the line 4-4, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalelevation on the line 5-5, Fig. 1;.Fig. 6 is a detail sectional planView on the line 6-45, Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a bottom plan View; Fig. 8 is aside elevation conventionally illustrating one manner of use of thestapler; Fig. 9 is a detail sectionalelevation on the line 9-9, Fig. 6;and Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating the staple feeder.

The stapler shown in the drawings, generally speaking, may be said toconsist of four distinct parts which, assembled together, constitute acomplete device. They are respectively a base I', a. stapl carrying beam2, an operating member in the form of a lever 3 and a staple feeder 4.These will be described separately in the order named, along withrecitation of the manner of their cooperation.

The base I includes a body portion 5 made of sheet metal, somewhatelongated in plan view with its opposite end portions 6, l widened tomore or less circular form, the edges of the body, all the way around,being bent or turned inwardly underneath, as at 8, so as to presentoutwardly a smooth round edge with an appearance of substantialthickness and strength. The base is provided, on its lower surface, withsuitable feet adapted to rest upon the table or other support, andwhich, consequently, should be so formed as not to mar or injure it. Asshown, these feet, marked 9, are alike in form, each consisting of anannulus made of suitable material, such as a synthetic plastic, hard ormedium hard rubber, or the like. Each annular foot 9 is provided with anoutwardly extending flange l0 around its top entering and therebyconfined in the channel of flange 8, so that it will not escapetherefrom, as shown in Fig. 5. In practice, before assembly, eachannulus is cut or slotted radially, as at H, to form a gap, the edges ofwhich are squeezed together when the flange 8 is formed around theannulus, which therefore springs outwardly and is frictionally held inits seat, against rotation, although this is not essential.

One of the end portions of the base, such as that marked 6, supports theusual anvil 12, being pressed downwardly to provide a recess in the basefor that purpose, a portion of the anvil protruding above the base, asshown in Fig. 4. The anvil is usually a plain rectangular piece ofhardened steel suitably attached to the base, as by the rivet I3, andhaving any necessary forming recess or die cavity (not shown) in itsupper surface.

At its opposite end 1, the base has attached to its upper surface meansfor supporting the remaining operating parts of the stapler, Thesupporting means is a channel shaped member E5, the web of which isriveted to the base, as at it, and the side flanges or arms of whichextend upwardly and are rounded at their upper ends to form ears I!pierced to provide openings E8 to receive a pivot pin l9. Around saidopenings, the metal may be specially formed, as by pressing or swaging,to hold and permanently retain in place hardened bearing rings 28 (seeFig. for the pin l9, which is likewise hardened and is removably held inplace by caps I902. Both the body portion 5 of the base and the web ofthe channel l5 are provided with registering openings 2| to receive anupwardly extending bent portion 22 of a leaf spring 23 riveted orotherwise secured, at 24, to the base member, the upwardly extendingportion 22' of said spring serving to yieldingly support the staplecarrying beam (later to be referred to) in its upper position prior totheintroduction of work between the stapling jaws, aswill be readilyunderstood.

"-I'he second member or part of the device is the staple carrying beamor magazine 2. This consists of an outer casing member 25, made of sheetmetal in channel form with one end open and the other end closed by across wall 25, as shown in Fig. '6. It serves not only as a. support butalso as an enclosure for'other parts. These other parts: include themagazine in which the staples to be operated upon are contained. Saidmagazine: consists of two members, to-wit, an outer shell: '21: and an,inner core 23 supported in nesting relation. Both, generally speaking,are of channel form, the flanges of both channels extending upwardly andthe web of the core being superposed upon that of the shell, as shown inFig. 5,v with all three channels 25, 2? and 28 being rigidly securedtogether with the legs of the two channels 21., 28' spaced apart toprovide vertically extending recesses 29 to receive the legs of thestaples contained in the machine. These staples, shown at 35, Fig. 6,are supplied in a common strip or gang form, a plurality of staples,lying side by side, being secured together by an adhesive so that manyof them can be handled together as a gang or unit. A gang thereof isinserted into the stapler by pushing it into the magazine through itsopen end, at the left in Fig. 1, with the legs of the staples lying inthe recesses 29 and the bridges thereof resting upon the upper edges ofthe flanges of the core channel 28. To confine the staples in thatposition, while permitting their longitudinal advance, the upper edgesof the shell 27 are. bent inwardly to form confining flanges 3 I.

At the open end of the beam (at the left in Fig. l) the side walls ofthe shell Z'l are extended upwardly to provide ears 32 having openings35, the edge portions of which are flanged inwardly to provide bearing,members 34 riding on the pivot pin.

At the closed end of the beam the side walls of the shell 21 are againbent upwardly to provide ears 35, Figs. 4, 6 and 9, somewhat similar toears 32 but rectangular in shape, and which form supports on which theplunger and driving tool are supported. As shown, the driving tool 36(Fig. 9) is a rectangular hard metal sheet of thickness substantiallyequal to the thickness of the wire 1 45, the flanges of which aresecured to the ears 55 as by rivets 4|; Plunger 3'1 is biased upwardlyby a compression spring 35a. One of the walls of the plunger, such asits front wall, is slotted vertically, as at 42, to receive an inwardlybent small tongue 4'5 of the channel 39. Engagement of said tongue withthe ends of the slot limits the vertical motion of the plunger in bothdirections. Its upper end has the metal bent into arch orsemi-cylindrical form, as at 45, to receive the impact of the operatorand reduce friction, as will more fully later appear. Of course, thelower wall of the casing member 25, opposite the lower end of thedriving tool, is cut away, as at 45 (Fig. 9), to permit the staple to beejected by the driver,

with its legs pushed. through the papers or other.

sheets to be fastened and against the forming parts of the anvil, ifthat is used, as will be readily understood.

The third part of the instrument is the operating member'3. 'This-i'sshown in the form of a hollow sheet metal lever member of generallychannel form with its side walls or flanges d5 lying outside of orembracing the corresponding walls of the casing 25, as in Fig. 5. At oneend it is pierced and provided with bearing portions 4? to receive thepivot pin l9 upon which it also swings. At its opposite end, as shown inFig. 4, it is closed by a front cross wall 48 and is provided with araised portion 49 which extends over and houses the plunger 51, theinner surface 50 of the horizontal wall of the raised portion engagingthe arch 44 of said plunger for operating it. Operating lever 3' may beprovided with a knob 5!, shown as partly spherical and convenientlyfitting the palm of the hand, and may be made of a suitable syntheticplastic material. It also may be ornamented by a layer 52 of similarmaterial which may be integral with knob 5|, the unit 5!, 52 beingattached by screws or rivets 53.

The staple feeder 4, shown in Fig. 10, is specially formedas aself-contained device removable as a unit from other parts. It comprisesa head 54 of suitable form, provided with a depending hook 55v and along noncircular, such as square, rod 55 on which a follower 51 isadvanced by a long open light spiral compression spring 53 abutting thehead 54 at one end and at the other end one of two pierced ears 59 whichtravel on the rod. Rod 55 is slightly enlarged or headed at its freeend, at 50, to prevent escape of the follower, and the follower is'ofinverted channel form in cross section.

After a gang of staples 30 has been pushed endwise into. the magazineand advanced along its supporting core 28 until the leading staple is atthe operating point, the follower is pushed into the same raceway behindthe staple gang. The head 54 is then pushed in until the hook '55 can bedropped into the recess in a keeper 6| fastened in the bottom of thechannel core 28. This places spring 58' under compression to supply thenecessary pressure to advance the staple gang O as staples areremovedsuccessively from its leading end. l i

Fig. 4 shows the parts in their usual positions ready for operation. Thebent portion 22 of leaf spring 23 engages the lower surface of the beam2 andsupports it, as well as the feeder within it and the member 3 aboveit, in an elevated position so that the jaws of the device are openready to receiveasheaf of papers or the like to be stapled together. Theplunger spring 31a also holds plunger 31, its attached driving tool 36,and also the member 3 elevated. But all the smaller working parts arefully enclosed in the housing formed by beam casing 25 and member 3,with the housingopen only at that end adjacent pivotpin 19 for insertionof staple gangs and insertion or removal of the staple feeding device.

Having laid in place over anvil 12 the papers to be secured, the userstrikes r presses downwardly upon knob 5i. Considering the leverage withwhich said pressure is applied, with relation to the position of thebend of spring 23, the resistance of said spring is less than that ofthe strong plunger spring 31a. Consequently the first effect of thedownward pressure or blow is to move downwardly, together or as a unit,the member 3, the staple carrying beam 2, and of course all partscarried by them, including the staple feeder. All of these parts swingtogether, as a unit, about pivot pin l9 until the lower surface of thebeam 2, where it is cut away at 45, engages the work above the anvil.This stops downward movement of the beam 2, but the member 3 continuesto swing downwardly, carrying with it the plunger 31 and compressing itsretracting spring 31a. Plunger motion downwardly pushes the driving tool36 down against the bridge of the leading staple, shearing it off fromthe gang and pushing its legs down through the work into engagement withthe forming surfaces of the anvil, which bend the staple legs toward oraway from each other according to the contour of the forming surfacesand clinch the staple, as is usual. When the hand is taken away, allparts return to their former positions, ready for another operation, asthe result of the stored energy of the several springs 23, 37a, and 58,as will be readily understood.

Of course, the instrument may be picked up and held in the hand and sooperated, after the manner of a pair of tweezers or tongs. Papers to befastened are inserted into place and the jaws are squeezed together,with like efiects as before.

Again the staple carrying beam and all parts attached to it, includingthe driving lever 3 and staple feeder 4, may be swung throughapproximately 180 to the position shown in Fig. 8. So arranged, thelower surface of the beam at opening 45 may be applied directly to awork surface HI, such as a display or notice board. Then by pressing onor striking the operator knob 5| a staple may be driven through a sheetof paper and into the board for attaching the two without stapleclinching, as will be readily understood.

Other ways of using the apparatus will occur to those skilled in theart.

The device described is of simple form, involving few operating parts,and is not likely to get out of order in service. The shells of theworking levers or beams serve as a housing and enable the machine to bebuilt with a modern streamline effect which is attractive and pleasingto the eye. Working parts have been reduced in number and those used aremounted firmly or rigidly and are maintained in proper operatingalinement.- The instrument as a whole has a smooth rounded contour withno corners or angles and is not likely to mar or injure furniture or tobe the cause of accident.

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent to makers andoperators of this class of instrument.

What I claim is:

1. Stapling apparatus, comprising a channel shaped magazine memberhaving two nesting channel shaped members nested therein and securedthereto and forming guiding means for a staple gang, one of the channelmembers of the guiding means having its flanges provided near one endwith pivot ears and near the other end with supporting plates, a hollowguide supported upon and between said plates, a driving plungerslidable, in said guide, and a channel shaped operating member pivotedto said pivot ears and. with the magazine member forming a housingenclosing said guiding means, said operating member engaging the plungerto operate the same.

2. stapling apparatus, comprising a channel shaped magazine memberhaving two nesting channel shaped members nested therein and securedthereto and forming guiding means for a staple gang, one of the channelmembers of the guiding means having its flanges provided near one endwith pivot ears and near the other end with supporting plates, a hollowguide supported upon and between said plates, a driving plunger slidablein said guide, said plunger and guide being of noncircular form in crosssection, the plunger being hollow and containing a retracting spring,and a channel shaped operating member pivoted to said pivot ears andwith the magazine member forming a housing enclosing said guiding means,said operating member engaging the plunger to operate th same.

3. stapling apparatus, including a channel shaped magazine member havingtwo nesting channel shaped members nested therein and secured theretowith the three channel members all opening in the same direction, thetwo inner channel members forming guiding means for a staple gang, theouter one of the two inner channel members having its flanges providednear one end with pivot ear and near the other end with supportingplates, a hollow guide supported upon and between said plates, and adriving plunger slidable in said guide.

4. stapling apparatus, including a. channel shaped magazine memberhaving two nesting channel shaped members nested therein and securedthereto with the three channel members all opening in the samedirection, the two inner channel members forming guiding means for astaple gang, the outer one of the two inner channel members having itsflanges provided near one end with pivot ears and near the other endwith supporting plates, a hollow guide supported upon and between saidplates, a driving plunger slidable in said guide, said plunger and guidebeing of non-circular form in cross section, the plunger being hollow,and a plunger retracting spring housed within the plunger.

5. Stapling apparatus, including a channel shaped magazine member havingtwo nesting channel shaped members nested therein and secured theretowith the three channel members all opening in the same direction, thetwo inner channel members forming guiding means for a staple gang, theouter one of the two inner chan- 7 nel members having its flangesprovided near one end with pivot ears and near the other end withsupporting plates, a hollow guide supported upon and between saidplates, a driving plunger slidable in said guide, said plunger andguidebeing of non-circular form in cross section,ythe plunger beinghollow, aplunger'retracting spring housed within th plunger, saidmagazine member near one end having an opening through its web, and. adriving tool attached to the plunger and working through said opening.

6. in a stapling apparatus, an elongated magazine member of generallyhollow form, an elongated staple supporting member longitudinallymounted therein, a pair of staple guides mounted within said magazinemember on opposite sides of and spaced from said staple supportingmember, said guides being provided near the rear end of said magazinemember with pivot ears and being provided adjacent the front end of saidmag- 8 azine member with means providing a plunger cavity, a stapledriving plunger slidable in said cavity, and an operating member forsaid plunger pivoted to the ears of said staple guides.

'7.- In a stapling apparatus, a magazine structure comprising inner andouter channel-members in nesting relation and opening in the samedirection, a staple supporting member mounted in said inner channelmember in spaced relation to the side walls thereof, the side Walls ofsaid inner channel member having portions overlying but spaced from saidstaple supporting member throughout a substantial portion of its lengthand also having other portions providing pivot ears at the rear of themagazine structure, a staple driving plunger at the front end of saidmagazine structure, and an operating member for said plunger overlyingsaid magazine structure and pivotally secured to said pivot ears.

HAROLD S. HELLER.

